https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/22/may-refuses-to-rule-out-tax-rises-conservative-general-election
Prime Minister May refuses to rule out tax rises under future Tory government.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, at once condemned the Prime Minister's failure to rule out tax increases and the apparent abandonment of the "Triple Lock" on State Pensions and confirmed that the Labour Party would retain the Triple lock and the existing concessions for fares, television licences and winter fuel payments. John McDonnell said,
"'Theresa May's refusal to commit the Tories to maintaining the pensions triple lock only further proves the Tories are abandoning older people. It's now clear pensions protections are now in jeopardy. Labour will stand up for older people by maintaining the pensions triple lock and by keeping the winter fuel allowance and free bus passes so that the elderly can go about their lives with the dignity they deserve."
It seems that Theresa May and the conservative party generally, have become increasingly mesmerized with their apparent showing in the polls, placing them anywhere between 20 or even 40 percentage points ahead of Labour. We should of course remember that opinion polls have historically been very wrong over recent times and rarely if ever present a true picture of the intentions of the voting public.Moreover, these polls are conducted by and on behalf of a particular political position and presented in media which is more inclined to support the government than to indicate any support for the opposition, particularly the Labour party. In consequence, we should take the current spate of opinion polls with a very large pinch of salt and allow the conservatives to be convinced by their own propaganda. It is for this reason that Theresa May and the conservative grandees and pundits seem convinced that the result of the election is a foregone conclusion and consequently they can refuse to rule out tax increases and in the same breath abandon the "Triple lock" pension increases and the other age related concessions.
What else then might we expect from a government which if re elected on June 8th, believes its position to be unassailable?
The NHS is already underfunded, understaffed and on the verge of collapse in many departments, not least of all in A&E, The programme of privatisation, which has advanced rapidly over recent months,will accelerate ten fold as the excuses of "failing hospitals", "missed targets" "growing waiting lists" will be pushed forward as reasons for selling our NHS to the private sector, not withstanding that the failures are solely due to intentional government policies implemented specifically to allow privatisation. Government funding for GP's, district healthcare, mental health facilities and after care welfare will all be cut back to allow the private sector to pick up chunks of the NHS at bargain basement prices.The Labour party will end health service privatisation and bring services into a secure publicly provided NHS
Hosing in both public and private sectors would continue to be neglected under another conservative government, with more and more people never having the ability to own or rent their own home. Labour will build a million new homes in five years, with at least half a million homes in social housing.
The conservative government would continue to favour tax avoiding companies and the wealthy, with concessionary tax and the rich few at the expense of the many. The Labour party will build a progressive tax system so that wealth and the highest earners are fairly taxed, act against executive pay pay excesses and shrink the gap between the highest and the lowest paid.
Just a few areas where voting conservative on June 8th will be to the detriment of people in this country for generations to come.The conservatives have over the past seven years, destroyed large sections of our society, our transport services and our NHS. They have demonised and punished anyone dependent upon welfare payments weather or not they are in employment.
They have presided over an economy ravaged with the consequences of their austerity measures and yet they and their media masters would have us believe that over 45% of the voters will vote for them in the general election.
The arrogance and vanity of Theresa May and her conservative government is breathtaking.
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